Fragrance comparison

De L'Ambre Shady vs Encounter

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 7 Nov 2026 1,052 ratings analysed

De L'Ambre Shady

Jacques Battini

3.4810 votes

Rank #24,303 AmberWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

51%scent match

Some overlap

3 wins

Encounter

Calvin Klein

3.561,042 votes

Rank #31,237 Warm SpicyWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Encounter takes 3 of 5 categories.

De L'Ambre Shady
Choose it for a amber and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.
Encounter
Choose it for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

De L'Ambre Shady2/5

Encounter3/5

Ratings & consensus: Encounter
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Encounter
Sillage & projection: De L'Ambre Shady
Value for money: Encounter
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: De L'Ambre Shady

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

De L'Ambre ShadyJacques Battini

EncounterCalvin Klein

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.48/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 21%Had 21%Want 58%

3.56/ 5 · 1,042 votes

Have 49%Had 31%Want 21%

Category winnerEncounterRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

0%Love

40%Like

20%Ok

40%Dislike

0%Hate

5 votes · too few to score

18%Love

49%Like

4%Ok

28%Dislike

1%Hate

1,042 votes

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity50

〰 Sillage54

♥ Love / hate63

⏱ Longevity53

〰 Sillage47

♥ Love / hate64

Category winners

LongevityEncounter

SillageDe L'Ambre Shady

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value50

¤ Price value64

Category winnerEncounterBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

amber100%

woody92%

warm spicy84%

balsamic77%

rum69%

white floral61%

warm spicy100%

woody92%

rum84%

oud77%

fresh spicy69%

citrus61%

Scent match51%Some overlap · both woody, warm spicy and rum

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

RumAppleCardamomNutmegOrange

Heart

CognacJasminePatchouliPink Pepper

Base

AmberCanadian balsamAgarwood (Oud)SandalwoodMusk

Top15 to 30 minutes

RumCardamomMandarin Orange

Heart1 to 2 hours

CognacPepperPatchouliJasmine

Base2 to 4 hours

Agarwood (Oud)CedarMusk

InformationalShared notesRum, Cardamom, Cognac and Jasmine. Durations are only published for Encounter, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring50

Summer0

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night–

Spring52

Summer24

Fall100

Winter84

Day62

Night100

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Men94

Unisex4

Women1

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,303

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews8

Overall rank#31,237

PerfumerHonorine Blanc, Pierre Negrin

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerDe L'Ambre ShadyHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

De L'Ambre Shady by Jacques Battini presents an oriental vanilla profile tailored for cooler weather. It opens with sharp notes of rum and crisp apple before settling into a warmer heart of cognac and spice. This fragrance offers a mature, balanced scent suitable for evening wear, providing a distinct profile that sta…

Reviews →

Calvin Klein Encounter is an oriental woody eau de toilette that focuses on dark spirits, gentle spices, and smooth timber. The opening pairs a splash of sweet rum with crushed cardamom and a bright touch of mandarin orange. As the initial brightness settles, the heart reveals warm cognac accented by black pepper, ear…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

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Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, De L'Ambre Shady or Encounter?

Encounter takes 3 of 5 categories. De L'Ambre Shady is rated 3.48/5 from 10 votes; Encounter is rated 3.56/5 from 1,042 votes. Choose De L'Ambre Shady for a amber and woody character. Wins on sillage & projection and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear. Choose Encounter for a warm spicy and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and value for money. Best in fall, evening wear.

Which lasts longer, De L'Ambre Shady or Encounter?

Encounter lasts longest (Encounter 53/100, De L'Ambre Shady 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, De L'Ambre Shady or Encounter?

De L'Ambre Shady projects furthest (De L'Ambre Shady 54/100, Encounter 47/100), based on community performance votes.

Do De L'Ambre Shady and Encounter smell similar?

Some overlap: a 51% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, warm spicy and rum accords. Common notes include Rum, Cardamom, Cognac and Jasmine.

Is De L'Ambre Shady or Encounter better for summer or winter?

De L'Ambre Shady suits daytime wear; Encounter suits evening wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in De L'Ambre Shady and Encounter?

De L'Ambre Shady has top notes of Rum, Apple, Cardamom and Nutmeg, heart notes of Cognac, Jasmine, Patchouli and Pink Pepper, a base of Amber, Canadian balsam, Agarwood (Oud) and Sandalwood. Encounter has top notes of Rum, Cardamom and Mandarin Orange, heart notes of Cognac, Pepper, Patchouli and Jasmine, a base of Agarwood (Oud), Cedar and Musk.